The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1887-08-27

night Noah and haunted
the station-houses for news of the lost
child. None came. We were assured
that the chances were that she would
be found; but she was not, and we re-
turned home weary and heart-sick.
My wife, worn out by sympathetic
sorrow, had retired for few hours of
needed rest Abe and Della lacked the
courage to return to their little home,
where every object brought to their
minds the absent one. Aunt Della,
stretched upon her gorgeously covered
'Testin'- longe," as she called it,
moaned and wept Uncle Abe, his feet
on top of the range, alternately fixed
his gaze upon his wife and his blue
socks, at no time manifesting violent
emotion.
Dye fin herP" he asked, listlessly,
as we entered. 81 didn't spec we
would" he went on, gathering from
our countenances that the search had
been fruitless one; "taint't time.
She's all right. Oar amt no call to
howl yit, l reckon"
The tone in which this was said
might have indicated that Abe knew
more than he wished to tell, and that
he had good reasons for his confidence
in the child's safety. Fatigued as we
were, however, niceties of emphasis or
meaning were lost on us. ."
When, several hours later, awaken
ed from a troubled sleep and prepared
for my work of the day, the situation
was unchanged. There was still no
news. Aunt Della, with no snatches
of song on her lips, stepped unsteadily
about her kitchen. Abe was nowhere
to be seen.
He done been runnin' up n down
fun de cellar all de mawnin'," said
Aunt Della, irritably, when remarked
upon his absence. "Pears like he goes
m hollers down in de coal-hole, m
den comes up yere N makes ugly talk
bout my cryin', He amt de same man
he was yistiddy."
Nor was Uncle Abe any the more his
old self during the three days that fol-
lowed. Our detectives, completely al
fault, were forced to rest the case with
the admission that they could gain ne
clew to the child's whereabouts; anC
as the time went by, Uncle Abe's &c
centricities of manner grew more pro
nounced and troublesome.
'1se afeared Ise mizzable sinner
Marse WILL" he said to me, when
rallied him gently upon his oddities
"but | know dat ar baby's safe!''
As Delia's words indicated, Abe haC
developed an astonishing fondness fol-
the cellar as a place of resort. All hi
spare moments were spent there, in do
ing-so far as we could learn nothing
at all. Going there, at infrequent in
tervals, l was sure to find him lowering
like an uneasy spirit, about the stairs
or in the cellar itself.
To add to Delia's troubles-whicl
were real and substantial enough-w
began, at this time, to suffer from tn,
depredations of sneak-thieves. Curl
Ously enough, they raided nothing ex
cept the pantry; but Delia's toothsom
viands diappeared almost before he
eyes, in manner that bordered closet
upon the miraculous. Aroast chicken
left alone for a moment, just befor
dinner, was invisible when the platte
was prepared for it; and our faithful
servant came at last, with fearful eyes
to tell us that five loaves of cake ha
been in some way distracted from tn
tin, between breakfast and lunch-time
With so many disturbing influence
upon us it was not to be expected tina
the Sabbath next after little Eliza's dis
appearance houldpass pleasantly. Wha
with the search for the child and on
sympathy for our friends, my wife an
were quite worn out. As for Deli
and Abe, they had not even visite
their own little home, tho Oh ava
from it, as believe, their restlessnes
increased their anxiety.
Uncle Abe, unshaven and coatless
wandered about the lower part of tn
house, making frequent wits to tn
cellar. 1t was in vain thai Della coal
ed him to 90 with her to the "chu' C
in de holler," in which he was deaco
and shining light. To all her Ell
treaties he vouchsafed not even an il
telligible reply.
J Ise q mizzable ole sinner, Mar,
WILL" he said to me; 81 feels dough
, done backslid.n
J As we left the church that evening
the sound of the fre-alarm bells cam
to my ear, and learned by the nun
Der which struck that the fire must ]
near us. saw, however, that my wi
, was forgetting her anxieties in pie"
ant chat with friands and | had not RI